Weighted Plate Push Up

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Start on all fours and have a partner place a weight plate flat on your upper back, centered between your shoulder blades.
2. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart with fingers spread and pointing forward.
3. Extend your legs back to enter a high plank position, creating a straight line from your head to your heels.
4. Engage your glutes and pull your belly button toward your spine to create a stable base for the weight.

How to do it

1. Inhale and lower your chest toward the floor by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
2. Descend with control until your chest is just above the floor, ensuring the plate remains stable and centered.
3. Exhale and push explosively through your palms to return to the starting position, fully extending your arms without locking the elbows.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 2 seconds to lower and 1 second to push back up.

Form checklist

• Keep your neck neutral by looking at a spot on the floor about 6 inches in front of your hands.
• Prevent the lower back from sagging by maintaining constant tension in the abs and glutes.
• Ensure elbows do not flare out to 90 degrees; keep them tucked at a 45-degree angle to protect the shoulders.
• Keep the weight plate centered on the mid-to-upper back to avoid neck strain or hip tilting.

Pro tips

• Think about 'screwing' your hands into the floor to create external rotation torque, which stabilizes the shoulder joint and maximizes chest activation.
• Focus on a 'hollow body' position by slightly tucking your pelvis; this ensures the core, not the lower back, supports the weight of the plate.

Make it harder

• Incorporate a 3-second isometric hold at the bottom of the rep to increase time under tension.
• Place your hands on a pair of dumbbells or blocks to increase the range of motion and stretch the pectoral fibers further.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the weighted plate push up work?

The weighted plate push up primarily targets the pectorals, and also works the obliques and serratus anterior as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the weighted plate push up?

The weighted plate push up uses weight plate.

Is the weighted plate push up good for beginners?

The weighted plate push up is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Air Punches MarchBeginner · calves, pectorals, and quadriceps
• Alternate Front Kick In Place With Arm CirclesBeginner · abs, calves, deltoids, and pectorals
• Archer Push-UpAdvanced · pectorals
• Around The World Lying On FloorIntermediate · deltoids and pectorals